Just A Few Things....

Although I've been slacking in my sunset pics, I have managed to get a couple of random shots throughout the month....

I've also done some crocheting in my free time. While perusing my greatest addiction, Pinterest, I came across a beautiful piece of art. I loved the colors so much I wanted to incorporate them into an afghan. The colors looked much better on the artwork, I think my afghan ended up looking like it came out of a Dr. Seuss book. I posted it on a Crochet group I'm on in Facebook to get some feedback and it got 620 "likes"! So, I guess a few people like it anyway...

I also crocheted some edging around this lightweight fabric for a baby gift for my niece who will be arriving in May.

I whipped up this hot pad last night. I love the gingham pattern, but it's a real pain in the butt to make because you have to manipulate 2 different strands of yarn at once. My intention was to make a few in different color combos, but I'm not sure if they are worth the effort I put into them....

Hopefully, I will have something more interesting to post about next time.

Austin Anniversary

This morning I looked at my phone and saw a date that had a familiarity to it. December 16, the day we moved to Austin exactly 8 years ago.

I've lived here long enough now to know it's the place I want to live out the rest of my existence and the place I will always return to if I ever get the chance to venture about. It's now where I call it my landing spot or what others may call home.

Today Toby and I took a walk around downtown.....

I love this old tower that sits on the edge of the lake. There is interesting history behind the Buford Tower.

Buford Tower

The lake boardwalk

Looking towards downtown from the boardwalk

Remembering the homeless

Stevie Ray

After our walk, we celebrated our Texas anniversary with a Purple 'Rita. If you've never had one of Baby A's Purple 'Rita's before, I urge you to do so. I will warn you though, they are pretty toxic even for a seasoned drinker like myself. I suppose that's why they only limit you to two...or so I've heard. I've never needed more than two of these bad boys....

It was a lovely day.

Beautiful Day

It was a beautiful day today. One of those southern style winter days. Warm with a hint of crisp in the air.

Going outside and soaking up the sun uplifted my gloomy mood. Nature and the sun is how I gather my emotional energy.

I know most people hate positive or inspirational shit, but thinking in a positive way is what gets me through each day. After all, I don't believe in the invisible being in the sky to save the day. I'm pretty sure I'd be sorely disappointed if I did, so I rely on what I know pulls me through the rough times.

I spotted this spider that had set up his food trap on my abandoned summer patio set. I figured I'd let him stay since I probably won't be using it for the next few months.....

I also spotted rose buds on my rose bush. Up until I acquired this rose bush a few years ago, I never realized that I would love roses so much. I'd never owned a rose bush before. This rose bush is the most hardy of all my landscape plants, enduring both the drought and frost without batting a leaf....

I also liked the way this old bird feeder contrasted against the changing leaves of the Cedar Elm. Last I checked there are not birds, but a family of wasps that have taken up residence in it....

I've not been doing a very good job of keeping up with my 365 days of sunsets. They come so early now that I'm usually too busy to even notice. I only noticed this one the other day, because it was casting a reddish reflection on my kitchen wall....

Dodadagohv i!

Doing What I Love

The past couple of days the cool and sunny weather has been perfect for hiking.

Wednesday we met up with the good company of friends to hike the Southeast Metro Primitive Trail.

I really enjoyed the pond area...

 

The bright midday sun is washing the colors out of my photos so you can't see how pretty the turning leaves were or how the sun beams danced off the water.....

One thing I learned after moving to Texas, there are A LOT of pointed vegetation....

 Pretty yellow flowers...

On Thursday, Toby and I had some errands to run, but we did manage to work in a short hike at Spicewood Valley Trail.

These flowers always catch my eye. I see them everywhere. I'd like to say they are some kind of Aster, but I really don't know.....

This looked like it would be a great swimming hole in the Summer....

Something about this tree trunk caught my attention. I don't know what the scientific reason behind wanting to touch something you find interesting looking is, but I had to touch it before I took the photo....

Looks like somebody was in the spirit.....

More contrasting colors. I LOVE color....

I love the way this one staggered color from top to bottom....

An interesting looking rock. A primitive guillotine maybe????

I never regret a day getting outdoors, even if I do nothing else.

Advice To My Younger Self

As a woman in my early 50's I have some life experiences under my belt. The older I get the more they have revealed themselves to me.

For anyone reading this, in no way am I indicating I am unhappy with the man I chose to live the rest of my life with, or my living circumstances, there are just a few things I have learned along the way that would have most likely spiked up the quality of my life and my relationship with myself and this world.

Here they are in no specific order:

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You can fall in love with a rich man just as easily as you can a poor one. Financial struggle is a long, hard road and very real.

Better yet, don't rely on someone else to support you. Learn a useful trade. Make your own money. Have your own savings/retirement. Be independent.

Speaking of retirement. YOU WILL need it one day, so this one is a must.

Don't lose yourself in someone else. Getting married and having children can make this happen. Remember, there is still a YOU.

Taking chances and chasing dreams are for the birds. Most of the time you lose - unless your the lucky type.  Play it safe. The grass is not always greener on the other side. Water and fertilize your own grass.

Wear the pants in the family. ALWAYS wear the pants in the family. Make the leader be you. You're the only one with any God Damn sense anyway.

You don't have to say yes. Sometimes making sure someone else is happy results in your own unhappiness. Selfishness is good. Make yourself happy before you try to ensure anyone else's happiness. To each his own.

If you choose marriage, make sure your chosen one gets along well with his/her parents. You don't need someone with "mommy and daddy" issues. They will carry that baggage with them and unload it on your relationship and you will end up feeling responsible for a situation that has absolutely nothing to do with you.

If you lay with the dogs, you wake up with the fleas. If you are the smartest one in the room, you are in the wrong room.

LOVE YOURSELF.  Make decisions that will benefit you. Think with your head not your heart. This will save you a lifetime of heartache.

Think long and hard about the decisions you make. Some of the outcomes will follow you the rest of your life and can't easily be rectified.

You are a lot prettier than you think you are. When you reach the age of 50 and your eyes aren't as bright, your skin is pale and sagging, and the wrinkles appear, only then will you realize you were a lot prettier than you thought you were. Take full advantage of your youth in any and every way possible. Smile for the camera.

TRAVEL anywhere and everywhere!!!!!!

If I have any young readers, I hope you take heed to my list and spare yourself some misery along the way. I can no longer help myself, but I hope I can at least plant seeds of wisdom in someone else's mind.

Downtown

Toby and I took Bo for a morning run at the park this morning. I loved the way these pretty white flowers contrasted up against the bark of the tree...then I noticed there was a bee on the flower too...

I admire these bright, red berries on this tree every time I see it....

Toby spotted a flock of butterflies on the white flowers. I didn't get as good of a shot as what I would have liked....

Even though I have walked past this old, abandoned home in the park thousands of times, I always wonder the story behind it...why it's still there and not been torn down?...

Donkeys in the field on the way home...

We dropped Bo back off at the house and headed downtown to Great Outdogs to pick up Bo a winter sweater, but not before taking a few mile stroll around downtown...

I'm in heaven when I'm downtown. I love the vibrancy and bustling energy and there are so many interesting things to look at. The architecture of the buildings, the lake, the old houses, the people...all of it keeps me mesmerized.

When I was younger,  Mary Tyler Moore was one of my favorite T.V. shows. I would always imagine what it would be like to be Mary. A pretty, single, professional working woman living in an apartment with a large balcony window that looked out over the city. I longed to be like Mary with each and every episode I watched.

Every time I pass the condos downtown I think about Mary once again, and wonder what it would be like to be her...

I didn't take too many pictures, but here a few I took along the way....

I enjoyed the day, and look forward to next time.